Railway-switch.



R. J. STEELE.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION TILED APR.9, 101s.

Patented May 12, 1914.

amine/11% Wm m 7 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WAI||NGTON. D. L.

ROBERT J". STEELE, OF JENKINTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 9, 1913.

Patented Way 12, 1914.

Serial No. 759,989.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT J. S'rmnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jenkintown, in the county of Montgomery, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railway switches and has particular application to certain novel and useful improvements in a switch rod and connections for railway point switches and movable point frogs.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a novel form of switch rod designed to extend between and connect the switch point rails, said rod overcoming the springing or bend usually incident to round or flat rods, my invention attaining a firm foundation for the switch rail support and preventing any twisting in the switch rail due to the springing or bending of the rods.

Still a further object of my invention is the provision of a novel form of brace clip through the medium of which each switch point rail is firmly and safely secured to its switch rod so that any twisting of the switch rail when forced against the main track rail is obviated and the switch rail is held firmly in place while a train is passing.

It is also my purpose to provide a connection with the switch rods which will embody the desired features of simplicity, durability, efficiency and reliability.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a top plan view of a switch rod connection embodying my invention and showing the application of the same. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, the main track rails, and the switch point rails being shown in cross section. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 44; of Fig. 1.

In the present instance I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention which embraces among other features, a

connecting rod of T iron which is designed to extend at its end portions beneath the track rails which are mounted upon the ties in the usual manner, the horizontal or top flange of the T iron rod having mounted thereon adjacent each end portion, a brace clip of peculiar construction which is designed to be connected to the adjacent switch point rail. l urthcrinore, I mount upon the rail heel blocks which are designed to form stops for limiting the creeping or movement of the brace clips inward of the rod.

. ie'lerring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates the connecting rod as an, entirety, and in the present instance this rod is formed of two sections of T iron, shown at 1--1., the adjacent cnds of which are separated by the insulating blocks Q-2. Right angle sections 33 of insulating material are placed at either side of the rod sections. and such sections are jointed together and the sections of insulation held in place by means of the angle plates 4-i which are placed at opposite sides of the rod sections as shown in Fig. 4 and are bolted to each other and to the rod sections by transverse bolts 5. which are provided with the usual nuts 6. Mounted upon the top or horizontal flange 7 of each T rod section is a brace clip indicated as an entirety by the numeral 8. This clip comprises a lmrizontally disposed base portion 9, an inclined section 10 and a vertical flange section 11. A web 12 extends from the vertical flange 11 on the top of the brace clip to the base section 9 and a securing bolt 13 passes through a bore 141- in the web and through an alining slot 1:") cut in the T rod section, the bolt being secured by means of a suitable nut 16 threaded on the shank of the bolt as shown in Fig. 3. The base 9 has formed integral therewith oppositely disposed inwardly turned clamping jaws 17 having slots 18 for the reception of the adjacent longitudinal edge portions of the top flange 7 of the T rod section. The switch point rail S is connected to the vertical flange section 11 of the brace clip by means of bolts 19 provided with the nuts 20, the base .9 of the rail underlying and bearing against the adjacent inclined section 10 of the brace clip.

In order to prevent the creeping or inward movement of the brace clips on the connecting rod, I provide for each brace clip a stop which is in the nature of a heel block 21, secured by bolts 22 to the top flange 7 of the connecting rod, the inner end of the base 9 abutting against this heel block, which is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. If, desired, instead of using T iron, I may employ angle iron, 2 iron, channel iron, I beam, deck beam, or any other structural. shapes of iron for switch rods, either in connection with the connection and operation of railroad switches or for the purpose of supporting railroad switches or rails in any manner. Furthermore, if desired, the bolts 18 for securing the brace clips to the rod may be removed and the switch rail operated with practically the same degree of safety, the rod being held in, place by the lugs or clamping jaws 17 on the brace clips, so that in such construction there are no nuts to work off or bolts to work out and thus render the rod unsafe.

It will be noted that I have provided an exceedingly simple, yet strong, eflicient form of switch rod, by means of which the switch point rails are securely and safely mounted so that they may be operated for long periods without requiring adjustment and without the switch rail being twisted due to the swinging or bending of the rods.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Batente,

clip carried by each section and comprising.

a base portion, and a vertical flange connected with the base portion having an opening therethrcugh alining with a slot in the connecting rod, a fastening device passing through the opening in the base portion of the brace clip and through the alining slot in the connecting rod for securing the brace clip to the rod, a heel block forming a stop for the brace clip and holding the latter against inward movement, and means for securing the adjacent switch point rail to the vertical flange of the brace clip.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT J. STEELE.

. Witnesses:

W'. J. SLAUGHTER, DANIEL SHARADIN.

Washington, D. 0. 

